The Significance of Existence
by AlexanderLuci
Summary: Rivaille makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect his love, Eren, and to defy what Humanity calls "Retribution."


The courtroom roared of citizens walking in with gossip and rampage, Military Police finalizing their pledge, and Pastor Nick blaring the work of God until it all barrens of Dallis Zacklay's entrance. The courtroom suddenly grew silent, Shh's were passed back and forth, and soon, all heads featured Zacklay's. He motioned his way to his chair, and knocked the gavel as he maneuvered in his seat. His hands fetch the papers and his eyes scan left to right, and they soon meet the brunette's. A cold sweat draped Eren's neck, followed by a gulp of suddenness as the Commander of all 3 divisions of the Military stood before him again, for a much more different reason today. His voice bellowed,

"Eren Jaeger,"

The boy's breath followed those words with a hollow inhale,

"Do you know why you're here?"

Eren's breath deepened as he hastily searches for an answer.

"Because…"

"You can't remember, can you?" Zacklay provoked.

"No." The brunette remarked.

The Commander shuffled his papers, and hums his way through each one.

"You lost control."

Eren's eyes widen.

"I-I lost control?"

"Yes, you did. But fortunately, these reports from the Scouting Legion state that your Titan Form passed out from exhaustion moments later. Nobody was harmed or hurt."

The boy exhaled, flushed with relief, but his mind rattled at the fact that he lost control, that he lost his trust with the military. But why is he still alive? Why didn't Levi-

His eyes raced to each side of the courtroom, scouting for the Corporal. They finish to the left side of the courtroom, on the same impassive look the Corporal keeps to his day to day life. He's alone in the stands. Eren's breath begins to make haste, and becomes deeper as each thought beams his mind.

"What's happening?"

The courtroom blares out in gossip and rampage from the citizens, screaming 'Treason' and 'Execution', at what Dallis had stated. But they soon settle down at the gavel clashing against a wooden block.

"Eren," the Commander continued.

"You have broken a promise, a promise not only with me and the military, but a promise with humanity."

Eren's eyes tremble at the barrage of words thrown at him from the Commander. Sweat lingers down the boy's face, and finish on the stone floor he kneels on. His breath continued its pattern of unorganized hollow tones, inhaling and exhaling. His eyes rise to meet the Commander's when he speaks.

"Who are you as a soilder, Eren?"

The boy's head draped beneath his shoulders to the deep question, and the race of searching for such a deep answer begins. But without any warning, the Commander has already asked for pledges from both the Military Police and the Scouting Legion. The brunette's eyes followed, full of shock and frantic. His ears aroused, to hear Nile Dawk's, commander of the Military Police, pledge.

"Commander, We pledge that Eren Jaeger, shall be publicly executed for high treason. The risk of allowing him with other soldiers is dangerous, let alone, be in the walls themselves. We can not take a risk like this again."

Crowds hissed 'Monster' in agreement. Eren could not believe his ears.

"Execution?…"

Shock began to shroud his face.

"Corporal Levi." The Commander permitted. The Corporal's exanimate eyes meet Zacklay's.

"Eren Jaegar did lose control, Commander, but he did not harm any of my men. Seconds later, he fell over due to exhaustion. With further experiments, lead by Major Hanji, we can fully understand his power, and why he lost control. "

"Why didn't you strike him down, Corporal?" Zacklay interrogated.

Levi stood stunned at those words, but remained straight-faced. Memories blare through his mind. He promised to train Eren, and to kill him if he loses his control, because he's the "Only one capable of doing it". Those words replayed, until they were interrupted by the Commander.

"You broke your word. Both of you." The Commander sounded so stern, but he didn't have the tone as Pastor Nick. His words passed his lips fluently and bellowed through the whole room.

"A couple more seconds and he would have killed somebody!"

Nile continued,

"Given a few more seconds, a soldier would have died, a human. Humanity came together as one because of those monsters, and now, there is one subdued before us. Not only is the military are at risk, but the citizens within the walls. We are at higher risk of civil war now! We must execute him, immediately! Not as a human, but a monster!-"

Those words were obstructed by Levi's fist, snapping against the wooden banister in-front of him . His teeth clenched, and his eyes tracked down Nile's. Their eyes met, across the room, and silence attracted them both before the Corporal spoke.

"I'm the traitor."

Eren's eyes widen and follow Levi's lips.

"I will take the charges, Commander. Please, let Eren go. Anything, but death for him. This wouldn't be happening if I were to keep my word."

Dallis' eyes returned to the reports, blankly staring at them, rubbing his beard for a solution. It didn't matter that Levi was humanity's strongest soldier. He had committed high treason.

Eren silently synced the Corporal's name, sweat dripping from his brunette hair. The boy remained kneeled and chained to the floor, eyes focused on Corporal Levi. They haven't even met throughout the trial.

"Very well." The Commander spoke.

Silence and anxiousness grew from everybody in the courtroom.

"Eren Jaegar," The courtroom barren, and Eren's eyes hesitantly look into the Commander's.

"You will be exiled in the Scouting Legion's first base. Major Hanji and her squad will be transporting you immediately. You are forbidden to use your power, and if you do,"

The boy's ears waited anxiously,

"Soldiers will strike you down immediately."

Thoughts raced through Eren's head.

"Is this really happening?"

"What about Corporal?"

"As for you, Corporal Levi,"

Eren's head consciously turned towards Levi. Levi's face was flushed out, and he kept the impassive look he held before.

"You will be publicly executed within the afternoon."

Levi bowed his head and didn't say a word of objection. Military Police subdue his hands and take him away. A shroud of darkness overcame the Corporal's face, and everything became deaf for him. Eren found himself screaming the man's name, but not a sign of response echoed into his ears from the Corporal. Eren began shaking the shackles and hissing at the guards nearing him, until he was knocked out by the blunt of their firearms.

"Levi-"

"Please, Erwin," The Corporal obstructed.

"please, make sure Eren receives this."

The Commander accepted Levi's gesture, and tucks into his cloak. Erwin's arms found themselves wrapped around Levi. He rested his head on the Commander's chest as if everything seemed fiction. His heart became heavy, and so did his eye lids. The Corporal could feel tears soiling his scalp.

"If this is what Humanity calls 'retribution'," Levi thought

"then let me take upon myself to defy it."

"Oi," A guard proclaimed

"It's time."

Eren finds himself in the same cell he was thrown in before. Guards stood against the wall, firearms ready. His sight slowly became focused and he could see each individual stone on the ceiling. A passive sigh passed his lips as he raised his head. All four limbs were shackled.

"What happened? Where is Levi?!"

"Shut up, you monster! Know your place you filthy mongrel!" A guard squalled, followed by a wad of spit placed on the cell floor.

Moments later, footsteps echoed the hallway, and the brunette's face followed the origin of the sound. Soon, a familiar female face featured his. The guards stepped away.

"Let's go, Eren." Hanji dictates.

The rays of sunlight beamed against the brunette's face, but hooded himself in the raggedy, brown cloak he was given to disguise himself. They continue walking, until a horse came to Eren's presence. Hanji gestured her hand, suggesting Eren to take a seat.

They begin riding through the town of Wall Rose.

"H-Hanji," Eren asked "Where are we going?"

Hanji gave a silent answer, not even turning her head. They soon reach a crowd of lull citizens, gathered around a large guillotine, circled in by the Military Police.

Nile sprouted from the crowd, climbing each stair and walking on top of the platform towards them. He excluded a blade from his 3DMG and pointed its sharp edge towards the sky, while holding a sheet of paper in the other hand. Suddenly, two guards lingered up the staircase, gripping a man's arms.

"Levi." Eren whispered.

He felt a sharp push against his chest. He reached inside the cloak's pocket, and his fingers met a soft crease of paper. The brunette took the small message, and read of what contained inside of it as the guards ready the Corporal's body. His lips synced the message, as did Levi.

~"I will protect you, so just be somewhere, smiling."~

His heart anchored of anguish and sadness. Tears began to blur his vision, but the boy blinked, only to see Nile reading out the charges, and a guard holding onto the rope that's constraining the the colossus steel blade. Everything grew old and dead that surrounded Eren. Everything became silent. Tears continue to stream down his tan cheeks, his heart pounding, anxiously fantasizing for Levi to be set free and to be in exile with him. Nile's mouth closed, and he draped the piece of paper along his thigh. Levi's head dangled inside the hole, body laying on a lousy plank. From the distance, Eren could see that Levi's keeping the same impassive look he's always had. Does he not fear death?

The clear sky they once enjoyed walking under became full of ashen clouds and began to rain Eren's sorrow, guilt, and memories. The wind lost its smooth entrance into the strands of the brunette's hair. Everything became an inky black, encasing all sound. The boy could taste some of the salty tears, as they made their way down his face. His eyes focus on the Corporal. Levi's lips began to motion. 'I love you'.

"Levi…"

The sharp edge of Nile's blade ripped the air and soon met the crowd, signalling to let go of the rope. The Fallbeil seemed so slow, slow enough for the Corporal to avoid being beheaded. Tears stream down the boy's clenched jaw.

All that was once gloomy rejoiced. The rays of sunlight clashed through the ashen clouds and beacon across the town. Wind makes its entryway into the boy's hair, pushing his hood and tears back behind him.

Sound became present again, and Church bells began to howl throughout Wall Rose.

Eren places the message against his heart.

"I love you."

He now understands the significance of his existence.

—


End file.
